People have been presenting gifts to one another for many years wrapped in colored paper with decorative ribbons. The wrapped package is a beautiful sight to behold and it is a little disappointing that the wrapping has to be taken apart in order to see and receive the gift. Something as fragile as a decorated cake, for example, can be presented as a gift when placed in a box and suitably wrapped without danger that the appearance of the cake will be destroyed
In the recent past a novel packaging scheme for a gift has been developed in which the gift is placed within an inflated balloon. The gift can then be seen through the wall of the balloon. In order to gain access to the gift, the balloon must be punctured during which process the elastic material snaps back violently. In view of the violent effects produced on puncturing the balloon, a balloon is unsuitable for wrapping a gift as fragile as a decorated cake unless special precautions are taken to protect the cake such as using a box or cover.
U.S Pat. No. 4,924,919 issued May 15, 1990, to Oyler entitled METHOD OF FILLING A BALLOON WITH ARTICLES AND AIR discloses a negative pressure method and apparatus for placing randomly shaped objects into a balloon. The entire teaching of this patent is incorporated herein by reference.
In the negative pressure method for expanding a balloon, the balloon is mounted in an enclosure which is partially evacuated. While the air is being evacuated from the enclosure, ambient air enters and expands the balloon. The article is placed in the inflated balloon and the balloon is tied off to confine the air and article.
Another technique for expanding a balloon not disclosed in the Oyler patent is the positive pressure technique in which air is blown into the throat of the balloon and the article is inserted as the air flows. This technique has so far been limited to rather small articles. A distinct advantage of the positive pressure technique, however, is that an enclosure is not needed to inflate the balloon.